MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has apologised for dismissing his accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age”.
At the weekend, the BBC host posted a series of videos on Instagram addressing claims he made inappropriate sexual comments towards staff and celebrity guests on a range of programmes over 17 years.
His videos were met with huge criticism – including from Downing Street, where a spokesperson for the prime minister described them as “completely inappropriate and misogynistic” – while industry union Bectu has said the allegations also raise questions about wider cultural issues.
Now, in a follow-up clip shared this afternoon, Wallace has said: “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.
“I wasn’t in a good head space when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it.
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you accept this apology.”
Wallace has stepped away from presenting MasterChef while the allegations, which were made public last week, are looked into.
An episode of MasterChef: The Professionals will air on Monday night, with the BBC saying that the programme is “life-changing for the chefs that take part and the show is about more than one individual.”
Wallace’s lawyers have said “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with the presenter being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
One former contestant told Sky News the allegations against the 60-year-old are just the “tip of the iceberg” – claiming he witnessed a “toxic environment” and was so “horrified” he considered quitting the show on his first day. The problem was “systemic” and “larger” than just the presenter, he said.
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An epic failure in crisis management
What are the allegations – and what has Wallace said?
Earlier on Monday, the prime minister’s official spokesman said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had spoken to BBC leadership last week about Wallace and “wider workplace culture” issues.
“Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic,” the spokesperson said.
“More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.”
Former Celebrity MasterChef contestants Ulrika Jonsson, Kirstie Allsopp and Emma Kennedy were among those who criticised Wallace’s response to the initial allegations.
‘They think they’re untouchable’
Labour MP Dr Rupa Huq, who sits on the culture, media and sport committee, said the comments showed “an astonishing lack of self-awareness” from the presenter.
She told Sky News: “Middle class, what’s that supposed to mean? That working-class people like a bit of bawdy humour? And, ‘of a certain age’? That kind of behaviour is just not acceptable.”
The controversy raises questions about the “imbalance” in the industry, Ms Huq said, and how presenters and “talent” can be “cosseted”.
“The reason why older women feel able to speak out is that they’re at a position in their career that they feel able to say this, whereas I think you’ve got huge imbalances in broadcasting. The presenters, probably, cosseted, they’re being told they’re talent, they think they’re untouchable, they can get away with this kind of thing.
“So many of these allegations keep surfacing that it is time to investigate them. At the other end, you’ve got the younger runner or whoever, who is very eager to please, in these precarious short-term contracts, who doesn’t want to speak out of line and be gone. So it raises questions about that show and about the wider industry.
“On the committee, we have looked at these kind of issues before, but it will feel to the viewer that these kind of scandals just keep happening.”
In response to reports that multiple complaints had been raised with the BBC, a source for the corporation said it would not comment on individuals or any internal HR processes, but that it would be “wrong to report the BBC has done nothing if or when matters have been raised with us – not least because it is already being widely reported there were interventions in both 2017 and 2018 where action was taken”.
Allegations were also raised by staff members about Wallace’s behaviour on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends to BBC News, with producer Rumpus Media saying it would be investigating allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.
Banijay UK has confirmed it has appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead an investigation into Wallace’s alleged behaviour.
